Give In
by seinooo.kcvii
Summary: ReTi. Oneshot. It started one night. Morning. Bleh. Just read. And laugh.


For my sister, Aimi. I feel like converting her to a ReTi fangirl for a while. xD

And omglol. **Earth Hour** thingy tonight. This means, **playing** with **huge** **fireworks** to **light** the neighborhood **up**. For an **hour**. **HAHAHAHAHA**. I'm kidding. I'll ask my bro to drive around and marvel at how freakishly quiet it will be. Sorry for the rant. Moving on…

This is supposed to be somewhere along the lines of suspense but I changed it to general since iono whut to put and … I fell off my chair, toaly rofling as I write this. Poor Tifa.

I present you Give In.

* * *

As soon as Tifa finished clearing everything up, she flipped the main light switch off and made her way wearily to her room. After changing to her nightgown, she plopped herself on her bed. She checked her phone, wondering if Reno had any text messages for her. They were dating for almost a year now.

'_Nite, babe._

_1:10 am_.'

Few minutes ago, she thought. And she replied instantly.

'_Night, Reno_.'

A contented smile slowly adorned her face. After placing her phone next to her pillow she shut her eyes, waiting for sleep to come. It wasn't long before her breaths were even. She was fast asleep. What she didn't know was a shadow loomed over her sleeping figure and stood still for a while before the owner of the shadow began tracing his fingers softly over her curves, softly whispering her name that it dissolved into her dreams.

_Tifaaa._

It went on.

_Tiifaaa._

And on.

_Tiiifaaa._

Her eyes snapped open and she jolted up, wary of her surroundings. Did someone call her? Pale blue light shot through her curtains. She glanced at her clock, which alarm's hadn't gone off.

Birds chirped joyously outside, calling names to one another. Morning. She padded to the toilet and got ready for that day. Tifa couldn't fight back a shiver—from the freezing water and from her vaguely remembered dreams about a talking rabbit. And a spectral whisper, saying her name. In which she couldn't identify whether it was a dream or not. It seemed so near yet so distant.

When she got back to her room, she realized something was amiss, no—something got changed. Her writing desk. It was obviously moved from its usual place, away from the window and there was a small, white piece of paper pinned on it. She read it several times, blinking before she registered what it said. Two simple words that made her gape at it.

'_Be mine_.'

"Huh? What the…" The note was not written, but typed out. _Who would want to type a note out?_ She crumpled it up and tossed it away, thinking it was not a big issue and probably Marlene or Denzel playing a trick on her.

"Morning, Tifa. Denzel is still asleep," Marlene greeted her as she walked pass Tifa's open door.

"Morning," she replied, descending the stairs after Marlene. "What would you like for breakfast?" Marlene hopped off the stool and jogged to the kitchen.

"Pancakes!"

"Pancakes it is, then," Tifa nodded. "By the way, Marlene." She started making the batter. Marlene pulled out some plates.

"Yeah?"

"You two didn't go to my room last night, did you?" Marlene shook her head and peered up to her innocently.

"No. Is something wrong, Tifa?"

"…Nothing's wrong. I'll go shopping later. Don't let anyone come unless you are familiar with them."

"Okay! Oh, Tifa, Tifa. I want marshmallows. Denzel ate mine up."

"Hmm... Okay, then. Just be sure not to eat his share of the pancakes."

-- -- --

After getting the necessities for that week, Tifa made her way back to Seventh Heaven. Cheerily and casually. To hide her anxiety. Why? Since she exited that morning, she felt _watched_ and it made chills run down her spines. She had made a quick glance but the person was unidentified. He had darted away easily or if not, blended in with the crowd. It took her a while, but she realized his footsteps matched hers. His were heavy and hers, lighter. She sprinted back to the Seventh Heaven and when she arrived, she was huffing and wheezing hard. After locking the door behind her, she began unpacking her groceries. The two children were upstairs, watching the TV from their room.

Her cell phone rang tunefully. _A text?_ She checked it.

'_Have you considered?_

_Be mine._

_Unknown sender. 10:55 am. Add to contacts?_'

Tifa grimaced. Who had her phone number? 'Be mine'? Wasn't that in the note earlier? She gulped. The only thing she knew now was…

…she had a stalker. And a good one, too…concerning how the note appeared and how the person had her number. _Probably the same one in the market… Oh, hell no._

"Tifa, you're already home?" Denzel asked as he went down. She quickly flipped her cell phone shut.

"Yeah."

"There's a package for you. It arrived just now. Marlene and I moved it to your room."

"Both of you? Was it heavy?"

"Yeah." Tifa ruffled his head and headed upstairs.

"Thank you." Denzel grinned.

"Do you think Marlene will let me eat—"

"She'll bite you if you do. That's the third time this week. I bought you your ice-cream so, no."

Tifa shut her door with a soft click. Denzel and Marlene had carelessly put the big brown box on her bed. The other thing that caught her attention was again, her desk. It was practically filled with small pieces of papers. Some were lying on the floor around it. Written on them, she didn't want to know—or in this case, she already guessed what those were. It couldn't have been the children. No, they won't have time to type and print everything out and make a mess on her desk. She dumped everything out. Again, the stalker, she thought.

Her gaze then fell on the box.

The box, she thought.

She had a feeling that this was somehow connected to the notes. She sat cross-legged on her bed and examined it from edge to edge. No sender's address. No signature. She shook it. She couldn't figure out what that contained. She tore the brown covering open and hesitated whether she should open the top or not. Sighing, she hoped it wasn't a bomb. Or more notes. She lifted the top carefully.

-- -- --

Cloud unlocked the door. _Why was the door locked in broad daylight?_ He was home for that day. He stepped in, greeted by some muffled conversation and explosive sound effects from cartoons coming from the children's room. He pulled the refrigerator open, taking out a bottle of whatever drink Tifa put at the door. As he took a cool thirst-quenching gulp, a shrill scream coming from Tifa's room made him spurt everything out. He grabbed his sword and raced upstairs, kicking Tifa's door open. He noticed Tifa was hiding something black in her hand and she was looking at him in a worried face. Roses spread out before her—lots of them and rose petals made a huge mess on her bed and the floor, like something made out of petals just sprang to life.

"Teef," he huffed out. "You okay?" Judging from her panicked face, she was not. He asked it anyway.

"Eh? Well—ah…Yes. I didn't know you'll be home…"

"What's that?" Cloud motioned to the roses, box and all. The smell was getting cloying and would stick for days. Tifa smiled sheepishly.

"Um. A gift?"

"Then what made you scream earlier?" Tifa gulped. She wouldn't tell him yet.

"I was…happy! Yeah. You can go now, Cloud."

Cloud nodded, still frowning. He was still thinking something was wrong with her. And the roses. He exited and shut the door quietly.

"Argh, dammit!" she screamed to her pillow, hoping it would be muffled. Who was it? _Wait till I get my hands on him…her. Or whatever._

From outside, Cloud ushered Marlene and Denzel away who were hoping to catch a glimpse of what happened. Denzel tugged his sleeve.

"What is it Cloud?"

"Nothing. Just…flowers."

"But she was screaming."

"She'll tell us if she wants to."

"Oh, okay."

-- -- --

Tifa stared at the box. Then to the roses and back to the box. The roses had literally popped out when she opened the box.

In the heart of it all, an overly familiar note. Same font, same type of paper.

'_Be mine, Tifa Lockhart_.'

No, she thought. _Why should I?_

Tifa raised up what she hid in her hand. A lacy, turn-on…material. Scratch that. A black, sexy _lingerie_. Her mind was exploding. This was no ordinary stalker. That, or she was getting paranoid.

_What the f— What the f— What the f— What the f—…_

Should she have asked for help? Should she tell Reno? Or Cloud?

Her phone rang. The delightful melody she loved turned eerie all of a sudden.

There, a text message which she dreaded popped up, taunting her.

'_Be mine_, _Tifa Lockhart_.

_11.25 am_.'

She suppressed her urge to scream once again. Mixed emotions all run through her. Fear, anger and most of all, panic. Her head hurt just by thinking.

-- -- --

"Teef, do you mind if I take them to Barret's?" Tifa blinked at her lunch and then at Cloud.

"What?"

"I want to go to Daddy's once in a while," Marlene chirped. "Cloud said he can take us there. Daddy called and he said he's free today. Can we?"

"Oh. Okay sweetie," Tifa replied. "Make sure you behave." The two children 'yay'ed.

After lunch, Tifa washed the dishes in distraught, still thinking about the mysterious sender of all sorts. Who was that person? Why her? How did he know her size? What will happen if she ignored all those? Cloud distracted her from her thoughts.

"Tifa, will you be okay?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with you all of a sudden, asking whether I'm okay or not…"

"Reno asked me to watch over you. You sure you're okay?" Tifa cleared her throat, hoping to sound convincing.

"I'm peachy."

"Don't worry. He said he'll return soon." Tifa nodded. _But_ _how soon?_

She watched them go in a cheerful smile and when they had disappeared, she was again, panic-stricken. Because it hit her that she was _alone_. She shrugged that off because she needed to open her bar later.

-- -- --

The night ended without any trouble. Tifa had made sure she locked all the doors and windows. She even bolted the main door. Satisfied with her work, she yawned and headed to her room to change. After sending a sweet and short text message to Reno, she laid down.

And her phone rang again.

'_Have you considered?_

_Be mine, Tifa Lockhart._

_12.51 am_.'

Tifa shuddered. She glanced around and her desk was again, pinned with a note. She couldn't take it anymore. She marched off to the desk and threw the note away. Everything was already gotten rid of. She had pushed the box of gifts into the depths of her drawer. She burned the notes. She locked all the doors and windo—

Everything suddenly went dark.

"A blackout," she muttered. She scrambled downstairs with the help from the light of her cell phone and began rummaging for a candle. After producing a candle and lighting it with the gas stove, she carefully made her way back to her room. Correction; her lighted up room. She put her candle in a safe place somewhere along the corridor and swung her door open. Tall candles burned and the orange fire flickered as she released her breath slowly. Her cell phone rang.

She checked her cell phone in dreaded anticipation.

'_You're mine._

_1.05 am_.'

And realized her window was open. The only window she forgot to lock. Gasping in horror, she gave a dash downstairs and began to open all the locks on the main door.

_I need to get out. I need to get out_, her head chanted. _I'm not alone in here. …What is wrong with the locks here?!_

Heavy footsteps thudded down slowly. Whispers filled the air, calling her name.

_Tiiifaaa._

Cold sweat rolled down her forehead.

_Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up…_

A hand reached out to her shoulder, brushing it softly.

And she frantically spun around, automatically launching a roundhouse kick to whoever it was in the dark.

"Ouch!"

She knew that voice.

"Reno?"

'Ahh… Hey, babe." Tifa couldn't see it but she was sure he was smirking.

"What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? _Stalking_." Tifa frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Why?"

"I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk and hope they panic and give in."

"Reno," she scolded. "So it is _you_. Give me a good explanation why you're doing this. I thought you were away." The clouds cleared, revealing a bright full moon, allowing her to see him fully—scratching his head.

"Awh, don't tell me you forgot. Will you be mine?" Tifa raised her eyebrow.

"Huh?" Reno kneeled properly this time, clearing his throat.

"Will you marry me?" Tifa's eyes widened at the sight of the sparkling diamond ring he produced. She was completely speechless. She recalled what happened last week. Reno had asked how she would like him to propose to her. Her only answer was "Surprise me."

_So that's it…_ She sighed.

Taking the ring, she nodded, smiling. "Yes, I will. For your hard work, you deserve something."

Slap!

"Ouch."

"That's for freaking me out." Tifa pulled him and started unbuttoning his shirt. "This, will be your present," she purred seductively.

"I'll be sure to enjoy it." Reno smirked. They made their way back upstairs.

* * *

Moar **A/N**: Mm-hm, I couldn't resist writing something cute and sweet for a tension relief. **Game**'s killing me (So will kitsune13 if I don't finish at least chapter 1 for the sequel quickly. Yes, it's under a new name). It's too serious and dark. Aw, heck.

Oh, Aimi thought at first the stalker was Rufus. Plausible. xD Who do you think?

And I might have freaked her out with the whole stalking thing…


End file.
